Bōryokudan
by Xavior Nightshadow
Summary: Bakura's up to no good again... was gonna be a oneshot, but it refuses to cooperate.
1. Let's Make a Deal

Bōryokudan Prologue - Let's Make a Deal

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh, and I don't own Japan. Yet.

A/N: I won't be blamed for: slight OOC, inaccuracies, the sheer bizarreness of this fic, etc etc.

This was not a situation the man had ever thought he would be in. But he was in it... And as the silverhaired man walked in, proud and assuming, his gait instantly registering everyone's attention, the man passed off the envelope. The envoy seemed to accept it, sliding it into his jacket with a flick of the wrist, just enough of a flick to pull his sleeve down, clearly revealling the mark the bartender had already known was there.

When had it seemed like this was a good idea? At first, he supposed, it had seemed great. Just run a few tables in the back room... run a modest, 3 percentrake... and pull away the money of the regulars. Just a few innocent games of cards... The silverhaired man had seen something more. It was funny that it would be him. He could remember the first time he walked in, with those huge, chocolate-brown eyes and almost fluffy silver hair. It was unusual enough as it was, and he didn't look old enough to be in the bar, but he had produced an ID, so rather than refuse service on the basis of his appearance, the bartender had taken the ID, figuring the kid was probably rich and just wanted to get drunk. He should've known something was up when the guy asked to play cards, though. He only let the regulars into the back, or their poker buddies, and they were told not to spread the word. After all, too much attention could bring things down. Other people would get interested.

And other people had. The kid hustled people like a master. The cards flew, and seemed to disappear and reappear in the kid's hand, flowing like water as he ordered one, two, three new cards. And often enough there would be devastating losses, or even close misses, but somehow by the end of the game he had gotten everyone to agree to a bigger ante and by the end of the game had walked away with more than triple what he brought in, while still leaving enough money in enough people's pockets that no one was the wiser. He had ordered a Bloody Mary on the way out and had been sipping it on the way out, ignoring the bartender's demands that the cups weren't to leave. It was a meeting that had both intrigued and annoyed the bartender. Now, he wished he'd have stayed out of it. This kid was something... unnatural. He didn't even need to play the games he was playing.

After the first meeting, it had been nothing for a while. Business had been slow one day, and as he was waiting, the kid showed up again, with those same chocolate-brown eyes. And he asked to play cards again, and seemed to lose money... but looking at how much had gone into the table, he had actually walked away with a couple hundred more. By now he wanted out of this innocent-looking kid, who had charmed everybody (probably with that accent of his. People are suckers for accents).

But the kid came back... And this time he wasn't there for cards. It was a subtle gesture, simply removing the glass he had borrowed from a large pocket in his jacket, producing it for the bartender... but as he put it down, his sleeve slipped up, and he smiled. "I believe we have a deal to make, sir." And by the time the kid had looked up from the glass, his eyes seemed the same red his drink had been a couple days ago, and half as innocent. His voice lowered to a near whisper. "My name is Bakura Ryou, but you may call me Janus."  
The bartender just nodded. "I think we might have a deal to make..."  
"That's good. How about we make this one over a drink... and a game of cards?"


	2. A Game of Cards

Bōryokudan  
Chapter 1 - A Game of Cards

A/N: It returns, and sooner than expected. A little more Bo for ya, but only a little... This one comes in short installments, I'm afraid. Later chapters will get longer as I introduce some other characters into the plot.

This time it was just the man and the bartender, a deck of cards shifting position endlessly in Bakura's hands.

"I've introduced myself. You could do the same, sir." 'Janus' grinned, offering him a well-shuffled deck. "And I'll allow you to check the deck so as to be sure I have properly removed the face cards, and that the set is completely prepared."  
The bartender flicked through the deck, finding it in perfect issue, and gave it a small shuffle of his own. "Kanzaki Yutaro. Your game, sir, and the wager?"  
The silver-haired man laughed. "Isn't it obvious, Kanzaki-san?" He tapped the table a bit. "Oicho-kabu. Aces are ones, of course."  
Kanzaki nodded. "Of course." A few seconds later, each of the two had a pair of cards. "And your wager, Janus?"  
"All of this," the man offered, tossing an envelope down. The envelope itself was a curiousity, marked with the image of another rather well-known playing card, the "Change of Heart" card, as a seal, the picture too careful done to have simply been removed from the card. "My winnings from the last couple of weeks. Well over two thousand dollars, as you are aware. For such an out-of-the-way bar, you have exceptional clientele."  
Kanzaki nodded toward the envelope. "And in return, you wish for me to wager the rake as payment for your protection, no?"  
Janus offered up another laugh, seemingly surprised. "Some of us DO catch on quick! Most impressive. Yes. That is the wager."  
"Naturally, in respect of your position, I accept. Though you seem odd as a member of the bōryokudan. Not the figure for it. Althought certainly the attitude."  
"Please, call us yakuza. It defers so much more respect." Janus smirked. "I think I'll have a third card." The third card came into Janus's hands, and he grinned as he looked at his hand. "And now for yourself, Kanzaki-san?"  
Kanzaki nodded and took a third card, looking at his hand, then the look on 'Janus's face. "I'm in, then."  
"Daring." Janus replied simply. "So sure of yourself, Kanzaki-san? You of all people should know the kind of gambler I am."  
Kanzaki looked at his hand. A knave, an eight, and a five. 23. Not a strong hand at all. "Do I gain anything if I fold?"  
"I'll only take one of your three percent," Janus answered simply. His wager was made.  
"Then I am out of the game, Janus." Kanzaki set down his hand, revealing it. "I would rather have some money than none at all."  
"As would I." Janus revealed his hand. An eight... a nine... and a three. "Ya, ku, sa." 20. As in, zero. Kanzaki looked at his opponent. "You're a madman."  
"I'm a businessman, sir. You'll still make a respectable living, far outside of what you should be making, and no one who shouldn't will know of your... back tables. I hope this is the beginning of a wonderful business relationship between the two of us." And with that, Janus held out a hand. He recieved the barest of handshakes, and smiled, putting his envelope back and stretching a bit as he walked out to the front. "It was a lovely chat."  
"I'm sure." Kanzaki set to his work again, setting up glasses for the people who seemed to flow in now that Bakura Ryou, or Janus, whoever he was, had left. "He leaves, and business picks up... that boy is a bad omen." He smiled a bit, uneasily, as he got ready for the night.

Far and away from the bar, with his winnings in his pocket, (more like 500 dollars than 2000, but bluff was half the game, wasn't it?), Bakura Ryou was feeling self-satisfied. Well, the millenia-old spirit in him was, anyway. Ryou himself was groaning in agony.  
/We got a good take on this one, Ryou. And I like the guy. He plays the game well./  
\But... you just won the game.\  
/Not that game, aihou. The game you just lost. Again. This one feels different. I might actually stay here./  
\That's a bad idea.\  
/I know. But doesn't it sound like fun/


End file.
